Dagan, the fish-god, a.k.a. “lord of the gods”, was father of Baal, and chief deity of the Philistines.  The Ark of the Covenant was placed before the idol Dagan in his temple, by the Philistines  (I Samuel 5), and the idol fell on his face!  They set their “god” back up, and the next day he was fallen again and both hands and his head were broken off. The Assyrians in Ninevah also worshipped this fish god Dagan, which may have played into God’s choice of a large fish swallowing Jonah when he refused to go preach to the Ninevites.

The Bible is clear that we are to make no graven image of God.  That is why Christians do not wear a crucifix, though many might wear a cross.  A crucifix depicts Jesus hanging on the cross, and the Catholic church requires veneration of the Crucifix, stipulating that veneration of an empty cross is to strip the cross of its meaning.  They kiss the cross, as an act of worship.

Isn’t it interesting that this statue fell upon it’s face and, well, look there, it’s head and arms and even it’s feet broke off’!  And perhaps that was an occult “blood sacrifice” meant to “invoke” Satan at the same time.  After all, we just heard the Pope’s cantor praise Satan on Resurrection Day.  The statue was 98 feet (30 meters) high, weighed 1320 lbs, was dedicated (1998) to Pope John Paul II, and was to be the location of a celebration of the canonization of Pope John Paul the XXIII.  I am seeing all sorts of Bible Numerics as well as occult symbolism in these numbers.  No such thing as coincidence!

98 in the Bible:

Prime Factors of 98 are 2, 7, and 7

Two represents perfect unity, and also relates to division, as in “divided the light from darkness” and the two lights, “greater light to rule the day, and lesser light to rule the night” in the creation account.

98 is 7×14, seven being perfection (holiness) and completion, and multiples of 7 being “multiplied holiness.  It relates both to Jesus, and to “the Word” which are one and the same.  The perfect Son of God, is called “Jesus” 980 times in scripture.

3 instances of “ninety and eight” in scripture:

• I Samuel 4:15, Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
• Ezra 2:16, The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
• Nehemiah 7:21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

Eli was the high priest, one of the last Judges, and the same priest who raised Samuel as a Nazarite after Hannah brought him to the temple to be dedicated to serving the Lord.  When the ark was captured and Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinnehas were killed,  it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he (Eli) fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.  Samuel was the final judge who took Eli’s place. (1 Samuel 4)

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines the children of Ater thusly:

The ancestor of a family of 98 persons who returned from Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:16; Nehemiah 7:21). the King James Version has “Ater of Hezekiah”; the Revised Version (British and American) of 1 Esdras 5:15 has “Ater of Ezekias,” margin, “Ater of Hezekiah.” the King James Version has “Aterezias.”

Hezekiah was a Godly King who tore down the groves and high places and altars to pagan gods. Perhaps that is why God allowed those in his Hezekiah’s lineage to be among those who would return from Babylonian captivity.

Boston.com

Just three days before Pope John Paul II is to be declared a saint, a giant crucifix dedicated to the late leader of the Catholic church collapsed and killed an Italian man, according to media reports.

On Thursday, Marco Gusmini, 21, was posing for a picture with a group of friends in the northern Italian village of Cevo in front of the 100-foot wooden cross with a 20-foot concrete statue of Jesus attached when it came crashing down, The Telegraph reported.

The 1,320 pound structure killed Gusmini instantly.

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The BBC said a group of children was reported to be present at the time of the accident.

Cevo mayor Silvio Citroni told ABC that future celebrations to mark the Polish pope’s elevation to sainthood in the village have been canceled.

“It is an inexplicable tragedy. A young life, so many hopes, destroyed this way. The boys ran in every direction when they heard the sound of the wood splintering. Unfortunately, that poor boy went the wrong way,” the mayor said.

 

In an odd coincidence, Gusmini was reported to have lived on a street named for Italian-born Pope John XXIII, who is also set to be canonized on Sunday.

Follow Robert Burgess on Twitter @bobb2001 Email him at robert.burgess@globe.com

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One other little item of “coincidental” interest:

Here is the picture of the hats worn by the Priests of Dagan as compared to the hats worn by the modern popes: